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Former Real Madrid and Inter Milan Dutch midfield star Wesley Sneijder has played down Declan Rice’s free-kick goals in Arsenal’s 3-0 win against Real Madrid in Tuesday night’s UEFA Champions League first-leg clash at the Emirates.
Rice stunned Madrid with two sucker-punch free-kicks in a performance that has been hailed far and wide.
The English midfielder broke the deadlock with an exceptional free-kick from range on 58 minutes, before following it up just 12 minutes later with an even better effort that arced into the top corner.
Gunners makeshift striker Mikel Merino then added a third in the 75th minute to make it 3-0.
But speaking on Rice’s free-kick feats, Sneijder claimed his first effort was extremely easy, and the second was down to a goalkeeping mistake.
“I don’t think the free kick(s) were that impressive,” Sneijder revealed on Dutch TV channel Ziggo Sport (via Daily Mail).
“This may sound strange, but it’s extremely easy to curve a ball like that as long as you know how to take a shot, and I know all about this. The wall was at fault here.
“The same for the 2nd free kick, you saw Courtois moving to his right just before Rice took it, a mistake by the goalkeeper.”
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Sneijder was backed up in part by former Dutch team-mate and ex-Arsenal double winner Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
“I think Wesley is right,” the former Gunners defender said of the first goal. “You can see that the wall is too far to the left, which makes it easy for Rice to shoot past.”
Rice became the first-ever player to score two direct free-kick goals in a Champions League Knockout fixture.
Both teams will square off in the reverse fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu next week Wednesday.
Arsenal accounted for Madrid’s exit when both teams clashed in the round of 16 in the 2005-2006 season.
A Thierry Henry strike earned the Gunners a 1-0 first-leg win at the Bernabeu before settling for a 0-0 draw in the second-leg at Highbury.
3 Comments
I just hope Wesley and Giovanni are not conceited.
Rice exploited the loopholes both the backline and goalkeeper presented and these two guys said they are not impressed by the great goals scored.
Well, today Rice has become the first ever player to score two goals from direct free kicks in a single match.
How about that?
Don’t mind them.
To say you are not impressed with those 2 freekick goals is to advertise your heavy bad belle. Those were 2 of the purest strikes of a football you will see in a long while. The technique involved in bending the ball around the wall and into the top corner, that’s top class. You have to give the lad due recognition for pulling it off.
Even if the wall was poorly positioned and the goalie was at sea, the freekick still needed to be well struck with purpose and accuracy, which Rice did. It takes a lot of courage and nerve to execute on such a big stage. And he did it TWICE. He must get credit for that.